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It goes without saying that “chances” and percentages should be taken for what they are – an estimate. If something happens 9 out of 10 times, there is still a decent chance that you might be that 1 out of ten times. The survival rate of any cancer should be taken only as a guideline, not anything more than that. Patients beat cancer all the time and there is no reason that you can’t either.

The survival rate with Mesothelioma is done on a five year projection. This simply means that the number of patients surviving the cancer are compared through each of the five years after diagnosis. For instance, 39 percent of patients diagnosed with Mesothelioma survive for more than a year. Unfortunately, the numbers go down from there with 20 percent surviving 2 years, 11 surviving three years, 10 percent surviving four years and 9 percent surviving 5 years. All and all, these are not great numbers.

So, let’s ask the obvious question. Are you doomed if diagnosed with Mesothelioma? No! Mesothelioma has been studied significantly and a wide range of treatments have been tried over the years. As a result, there is no a fairly clear course of treatment – aggressive. Doctors know that they need to go for broke and Mesothelioma survival rates are actually going up compared to years ago. The key is to be positive and be ready to undergo aggressive surgery, radio therapy and chemotherapy.

It should also be noted that there are a host of new treatments going through FDA clinical trials. These treatments attack Mesothelioma in many different ways. As a person diagnosed with the disease, you can participate in the trials. You can contact the National Cancer Institute to get a list of trials being conducted.

If you have to get cancer, Mesothelioma is not really the one you want. That being said, it is no longer an automatic death sentence. Be positive and demand aggressive treatment. Get a referral to a Mesothelioma specialist to ensure you are getting the latest treatments possible. People survive and you can as well.

Some mesothelioma patients want to know about mesothelioma prognosis. They may have their own personal valid reasons for wanting to know their chances of survival or getting better. If you are a mesothelioma patient interested in the same thing, then you have the right to know. Do keep in mind though that there are various prognosis sources. Here are some important points you should consider when reading about asbestos cancer prognosis.

Prognosis Data

Where it Comes From – The first thing you should understand is where prognosis data comes from. Real prognosis information is based form statistical data. Researchers look into different mesothelioma cases through clinical studies to get average figures. This may mean that genuine prognosis information may be true for a large number of patients. This does not mean though that the information is always true.

Asbestos cancer cases can be unique. This is because a lot of different factors can affect mesothelioma. Some of these include your overall health, treatments taken, time when treatment began, mesothelioma type and severity of the condition. It is therefore important not to view prognosis information as absolutely true in your case.

Difficulties with Prognosis

It may be difficult to arrive at statistical or personal mesothelioma prognosis. This is because mesothelioma itself is not like many other forms of cancer. The condition is rare. Asbestos exposure, which is the primary risk factor linked to this condition is not always experienced by a lot of people. Those who also have the condition may not immediately seek doctors’ assistance for diagnosis and treatment. The symptoms do not obviously point to the condition and may even mimic the symptoms of other diseases.

Statistical Information

So what do the statistical figures say? Since patients are often diagnosed late, the prognosis for many patients is not good. A lot of patients are told that they can expect to live for only less than a year. Again, there are exceptions to this prognosis. There have been personal accounts of patients who have survived for more than five years. Some even live up to ten years after diagnosis.

Diagnosis

Like other forms of cancer, early mesothelioma diagnosis is important. Early diagnosis means early treatment and higher chances of survival. Since early diagnosis is not often made due to the lack of unique symptoms, you may not even think that a doctor’s visit is necessary. Your only clue that may suggest that you may need medical monitoring is asbestos exposure. This is only true however for individuals who work closely with asbestos. Patients who do not handle asbestos on a regular basis may not even remember or know that they have been exposed to asbestos.

Treatment

Treatment is one factor that can affect individual prognosis. Depending on your overall health, the stage of your disease and your doctor’s evaluation, you may have to undergo one or two cancer treatment methods. Like other forms of cancer, mesothelioma may be treated through chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy.

Mesothelioma prognosis is definitely never definite. Although prognosis information can provide you with valuable insight about the disease, there is no reason to believe that you absolutely have no hope of surviving beyond a year.